The Network Society - University of Massachusetts Amherst

216 The Network Society
tronic networks” (Kelly, 1998, p. 2). A concise summary of the skills
needed to function productively in a knowledge economy is given by
the Ministry of Economic Development in New Zealand:
“Know-why and know-who matters more than know-what
There are different kinds of knowledge that can usefully be distinguished.
Know-what, or knowledge about facts, is nowadays diminishing
in relevance. Know-why is knowledge about the natural world,
society, and the human mind. Know-who refers to the world of social
relations and is knowledge of who knows what and who can do what.
Knowing key people is sometimes more important to innovation than
knowing scientific principles. Know-where and know-when are becoming
increasingly important in a flexible and dynamic economy.” 2
Personal knowledge management skills as well as a knowledge
management infrastructure for the organization or professional body
supporting knowledge workers are critical to the learning needed for a
knowledge economy. 3 The National Health Service in the UK for
example identifies personal knowledge management skills for those in
the healthcare professions as including: skills in asking the right questions;
searching skills including in defining and identifying the sources
of evidence it is appropriate to search for when faced with a particular
decision; storing information for effective reuse; and being able to
critically appraise the evidence that is obtained. 4
All of these relate to new approaches to learning in which technology
is a constant tool, and from these to a transformed model of education.
Given this societal context, the need for schools, higher education,
professional development, and corporate learning to change is obvious.
The World Bank (2003) contrasts traditional learning with learning for
a knowledge economy as moving away from the teacher and textbook
as sources of knowledge towards the teacher as a guide for finding and
interpreting real-world information; away from learning being delivered
to learners who receive it toward learning by doing and participating
as close to the real world as possible; from assessment being based on
responding to questions with pre-determined right and wrong answers
2 http://www.med.govt.nz/pbt/infotech/knowledge_economy/knowledge_economy-04.html
3 See for example, the portal of resources at http://www.sveiby.com/library.html
4 See http://www.nelh.nhs.uk/ebdm/knowledge_individuals.asp